Increasing Efficiency by Maximizing Electrical Output

EW-201250

Objective

The objective of this project is to demonstrate the economic conversion of low temperature heat into electricity. Heat from a boiler stack that is part of the central heating and cooling system at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point campus will be used. Extracting value from stack heat in this manner is consistent with the Army's Net Zero installation strategy of "repurposing" waste energy as well as compliant with existing federal mandates to reduce the energy intensity of installations. The project will evaluate the performance, economic model, and efficiency implications of using Ener-G-Rotors' GEN4 system. It will generate data from a real-world environment and provide important feedback on capital and installation cost for the unit, performance in terms of electricity generation, and maintenance issues that determine operating costs.

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Technology Description

The GEN4 system, a 40-60kW heat to electricity appliance, is a complete, modular, drop-in Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system. This "appliance" contains all hardware and controls, including grid interface devices, necessary to convert low-grade heat into electricity. The heart of the GEN4 system is the patented Trochoidal Gear Expander (TGE), which is essentially a gerotor pump that has been modified to handle exacting tolerances, allowing it to achieve high efficiencies and be cost effective to manufacture. Expander efficiency is a force multiplier because it determines both the output of the system and the cost of the system. State-of-the-art turbines at the tens of kilowatt size are either inefficient or not economical for widespread use. At 85+% isentropic efficiency, the TGE is more efficient than all other types of expanders at less than 1 MW size.

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Benefits

A GEN4 system can produce 420,000 kWh of electricity and save 280 tons of carbon each year over its 20-year life from energy that is currently not being used. The expected payback for this project is 4.7 years and could be improved by running two GEN4s off the single stack at West Point's central plant. Validating the TGE technology in the size range from 2kW to 60kW also opens up numerous possibilities for alternative uses to increase the efficiency of portable generators, ships, and vehiles while also reducing DoD's carbon footprint. (Anticipated Project Completion - 2015)

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Points of Contact

Principal Investigator

Mr. Edward Eveleth

Ener-G-Rotors, Inc.

Phone: 518-372-2608 x103

Program Manager

Energy and Water

SERDP and ESTCP

Document Types

  • Fact Sheet - Brief project summary with links to related documents and points of contact.
  • Final Report - Comprehensive report for every completed SERDP and ESTCP project that contains all technical results.
  • Cost & Performance Report - Overview of ESTCP demonstration activities, results, and conclusions, standardized to facilitate implementation decisions.
  • Technical Report - Additional interim reports, laboratory reports, demonstration reports, and technology survey reports.
  • Guidance - Instructional information on technical topics such as protocols and user’s guides.
  • Workshop Report - Summary of workshop discussion and findings.
  • Multimedia - On demand videos, animations, and webcasts highlighting featured initiatives or technologies.
  • Model/Software - Computer programs and applications available for download.
  • Database - Digitally organized collection of data available to search and access.